The last jumping meetings before the Christmas break are in grave danger of being frozen out. Newcastle and Ludlow yesterday issued pessimistic bulletins over their prospects of staging today's cards.

Officials at Ludlow were planning to inspect the track at 7.30 this morning while their counterparts at Newcastle intended doing likewise 30 minutes later.

"The thaw that was forecast hasn't happened," said a Ludlow spokesman after an inspection yesterday. "The temperature only got up to plus one when we were told it would get up to plus six. There is still some frost in the ground and snow on the course.

"The forecast is for it to get milder overnight and we are totally dependent on that happening."

Newcastle's David McAllister said: "I am not confident - it does not look good at all.

"We'll start to inspect the course when it gets light and should be ready to give a decision before 8.30 a.m.

"We've had a good thaw but have just been round the course and the frost hasn't come out in places and it's still hard.

"The temperature has dropped again to three degrees and it would need to be up to five degrees to give us a chance."

No problems are reported for today's all-weather Flat fixture at Lingfield.